1. Field Of The Invention
The present invention deals with the field of devices for de-contaminating the vadose soil layer. The figure of the present invention is applicable to the field of inventions having probes extending downwardly into the earth in contaminated soil areas to a level above the underground water table to remove contaminated gases therefrom. The contamination in these gases normally includes volatile organic compounds such as perchlorethylene and others.
The present invention is designed to be permanently installed at a specific location adjacent to a source of contamination such as a dry cleaning station wherein the soil is constantly monitored and de-contaminated and cycled on and off as desired.
2. Description Of The Prior Art
There are numerous devices utilized for cleaning of vadose soil layers such as U.S. Pat. No. 2,884,132 patented Apr. 28, 1959 to C. H. Kangas on an Automatic Filter Backwash System; U.S. Pat. No. 3,274,101 patented Sep. 20, 1966 to R. C. West et al on a Solvent Recovery Process; U.S. Pat. No. 3,547,190 patented Dec. 15, 1970 to L. Wilkerson on an Apparatus For Treating Waste Water Associated With Hydrocarbon Production; U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,650 patented Jan. 27, 1976 to R. LaFortune on Recovery Of Natural Gas During Solution Mining Of An Underground Salt Deposit; U.S. Pat. No. 4,149,597 patented Apr. 17, 1979 To D. Redford on a Method For Generating Steam; U.S. Pat. No. 4,167,973 patented Sep. 18, 1979 to E. Forte et al on a Process For Chemical Decontamination of Layers Of Earth And/Or Water Contaminated With Organic Materials; U.S. Pat. No. 4,300,860 patented Nov. 17, 1981 to T. Yan on a Method Of Treating A Subterranean Formation To Remove Ammonium Ions; U.S. Pat. No. 4,423,634 patented Jan. 3, 1984 to B Audenard et al on a Device For The Activation Of An Apparatus For Measuring Acoustic Emission By Detection Of Background Noise; U.S. Pat. No. 4,536,293 patented Aug. 20, 1985 to D. Babineaux on a Method Of Treating Waste Water; U.S. Pat. No. 4,563,283 patented Jan. 7, 1986 to S. Nicksic on a Process For Clarifying Bicarbonate Bearing Waters Using Measurement And Control Of Carbon Dioxide Content; U.S. Pat. No. 4,593,760 patented Jun. 10, 1986 to M. Visser et al on Removal Of Volatile Contaminants From The Vadose Zone Of Contaminated Ground; U.S. Pat. No. 4,660,639 patented Apr. 28, 1987 to M. Visser et al on Removal Of Volatile Contaminants From The Vadose Zone Of Contaminated Ground; U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,672 patented Mar. 15, 1988 to F. Payne on a Method Of Removing And Controlling Volatile Contaminants From The Vadose Layer Of Contaminated Earth; U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,122 patented May 23, 1989 to J. Corey et al on an In-Situ Remediation System And Method For Contaminated Groundwater; U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,119 patented Dec. 12, 1989 to B. Bernhardt on a Method Of And Arrangements For Driving Volatile Impurities From Ground; U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,673 patented Jan. 2, 1990 to F. Payne on a Method Of Removing Volatile Contaminants From Contaminated Earth Strata and U.S. Pat. No. 4,892,664 patented Jan. 9, 1990 on Decontamination Of Sites Where Organic Compound Contaminants Endanger The Water Supply.